GLOBAL SYNOPTIC SURVEY AND PROTOCOL

INDIAN OCEAN

By
Vijayalakshmi R. Nair
Consultant
National Institute of Oceanography
Kochi
 Current surveys in Indian Ocean

Assessment and evaluation of environmental parameters Studies on biodiversity of phytoplankton and zooplankton
and primary with special emphasis on island ecosystem (Andaman sea)
and secondary productivity

13.5

12.5

11.5

10.5
2
Stratified zooplankton sampling (0-1000m)
- ,
from 114 stations from Indian EEZ, 2003-
2007, MR-LR, Project of DOD, NIO 91.5 92.5 93.5
Stratified zooplankton samples (0-300m)
from 16 oceanic and 16 coastal stations,
2003-2007, MR-LR Project of DOD, NIO.
 Recent surveys in Indian Ocean

JGOFS (India) : Central and eastern Arabian Sea Bay of Bengal process studies (Sequel of JGOFS) :
Coastal (10 stations) and open sea (15 stations)
Stratified zooplankton collections from 93 locations
(0-1000m), 1992-1997 Stratified zooplankton collections from 0-1000m,
2001-2003
Under sampled area
• Western side of Indonesia : Significant for Indo-Pacific community
• Deep water collections (south of Equator) : Surfacing of meso and bathypelagic species
 CMarZ related cruises in Indian Ocean
E5. National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) is planning a cruise along a transect
across the Indian Ocean. Zooplankton species to be identified and preserved for DNA
barcoding (CMarZ contact : Ann Bucklin)
Naqvi (Cruise Leader) informed cruise will be delayed
C6. The French program OISO may provide opportunities for CMarZ sampling of
zooplankton in the Indian Ocean (CMarZ contact : Colomban de Vargas) Status not
known
SW Indian Ocean
A12 African Coelocanth Ecology Programme off the east coast of South Africa,
2004-2005
A13. ‘Madex’ cruise south of Madagascar during February 2005
D1. Sampling during annual fisheries stock assessment, monthly environmental
monitoring cruises and dedicated research training cruises during 2008
Specimens will be identified for DNA barcoding
(CMarZ contact : Hans Verheye for A12, A13 & D1)
Comments:
• Overview of the cruises for east coast of South Africa by Hans Verheye
• Cruise proposals for Indian Ocean, excluding off South Africa, not promising
CMarZ may plan a cruise for Indian Ocean. A few experts from India can participate
and identify species for DNA barcoding
 Zooplankton species of Indian Ocean
Calanoid copepods 476 (2 new species)
Chaetognaths 31 (2 new species)
Medusae 131 (2 new species)
Ostracods 32
Euphausiids 51
Pteropods 25
Mysids 102 (34 new species including 4 new genera)
Penaeid and Cariid larvae (Decapods) 38
Hyperiidae (Amphipods) 164
Fish larvae 60
Total 1110 (40 new species)

Community Structure
• Zooplankton community around Andaman waters showed dominance of copepods (59 species)
followed by chaetognaths (16 species)
• Tsunami 2004 in Bay of Bengal showed low biomass for zooplankton. Copepod community
showed surfacing of mesopelagic species like Lophothrix frontalis, Haloptilus spiniceps, Pachos punctatum,
Mormonilla phasma and Conaea rapax
 Biogeographic provinces

Tropical zone
Maximum diversity
Indo-Pacific species

Subtropical zone
Cosmopolitan species
Surfacing of meso and bathypelagic
species

Transitional zone
Maximum faunistic contrast, overlapping of cold & warm water species

• 31 species of chaetognaths occur in Indian Ocean

• Tropical zone : 1. North of 10°S with maximum biodiversity
2. Predominated by Indo-Pacific species
3. Unique in maintaining species in respective bathymetric level
• Subtropical zone : 1. Dominated by cosmopolitan species
2. Meso and bathypelagic species penetrate to upper strata
• Transitional zone : 1. Maximum faunistic contrast
2. Species of southern cold water and warm waters overlap
 Contributions
1. Laboratory based cooperating project
IIOE data : Digitized details for 1,548 zooplankton collections from entire
Indian Ocean including station details, biomass, total population, density
for all taxa, 21 chaetognath species and 26 ostracod species

2. Training course
• Taxonomic identification of copepods, chaetognaths and ostracods,
NIO, Kochi (November 2005 & April 2006)
• Basic training for zooplankton analysis and identification of 54 taxa,
NIO, Kochi (2006)

3. Awareness on CMarZ activities

Presented a paper
Census of Marine Zooplankton (CMarZ) - a Global Biodiversity Project
By
Vijayalakshmi R. Nair and Ann Bucklin
At
Symposium on National Biodiversity and Ecosystem Information
Infrastructure : Challenges and Potentials – Jan 30 to Feb 2, 2006, NCL,
Pune, India
 Popular Scientific Article

Science Reporter (CSIR Publication) Vol. 43 No.5, 9-15, May 2006

 CMarZ Network
Taxonomic Experts from India
Saramma U. Panampunnayil (Mysids) : Participated in NW Atlantic
cruise (April, 2006)
Identified 8 bathypelagic
species. 6 species given
for DNA sequencing
Lalithambika Devi, C.B. (Fish larvae) : Participated in NW Atlantic
cruise (April, 2006)
Identified 43 species.
15 species given for DNA
sequencing
Rosamma Stephen (Copepoda) : Gave training in identification
during a workshop on
copepods (July 2006) at AWI
Worked at WHOI
(July 2006) on species
page
 Workshop on IndOBIS (September 25-26, 2006)

• The Indian Ocean Biogeographic Information system (IndOBIS) is

one of the 7 regional nodes established by OBIS

• Responsible for collection, collation and dissemination of data and

information about biodiversity in the Indian Ocean region through
its portal http://WWW.indobis.org

• As member of SG, CMarZ introduced objectives, activities and

achievements of CMarZ to participants